To celebrate the recent launch of our new commenting platform, Talk (you can read more about it here), we want to highlight some of the best comments on our website this past week. Posts have been edited lightly for spelling, grammar and punctuation.
“I know there’s a percentage of the population who won’t vote and that percentage increases in off year, off month elections. Nevertheless, there’s obviously something terribly wrong when 3 percent show up at the polls. It’s an embarrassment; Ben Sprague shouldn’t be boasting that it’s a vote of confidence.”
“A nation’s government should be determined by the popular majority, good, bad or otherwise. We currently see a vocal anti-abortion minority pulling out all stops to impose its perspective on a clear national majority. Majority rule is the basic foundation of any democracy, including our own democratic Federal Republic. The majority should prevail and tinkering with that basic concept leads to all sorts of unintended consequences.”
—pizanos
“I think it should be left alone. This is simply a knee-jerk response to Trump’s win, just like RCV was a knee-jerk response to LePage’s win. Democrats have their own way of gaming the system.”
“I wonder what the original diameter of the birch log was and overall original dimensions and how it was cut to length and also about its likely stability (less than my Mad River Explorer, I’d bet, or Butch Phillips’ beautiful bark canoe). I imagine it demanded a kneeling position — any interior indication of that?”
“Thanks for posting how to donate — I just sent a small donation — what I could afford. The whole state should be chipping in to help Portland do this.”
—MacIntyre
“This long-time City of Portland property tax owner is very angry about the news that the Expo is going to be opened to accommodate all of the asylum seekers that are flocking to our City. I hope it is safe for the thousands of people who walk by the Expo whenever the Sea Dogs play a home game at neighboring Hadlock. Unless something has changed recently, my understanding is that the visiting team uses the locker rooms in the Expo. It is not economically sustainable to have this many new individuals utilizing Portland’s already over burdened social welfare system. The asylum seekers will need to be fed, clothed, provided with medical care, interpreters, and come fall, children educated.”
“Wow! This ferry just can’t seem to get it right. I feel sorry for Nova Scotia, which really needs this to work .
—Burning666
“It makes no sense to vilify Bay Ferries for delays caused on this side of the border. They’ve not been treated well in Maine and I would not have been at all surprised if they had completely abandoned business here in the state after Portland and the Portland Pilots Association chased them off.”
“The schools have needed repairs and upgrades for years. It was a travesty that the stage at the Middle School was in the cafeteria! High School plays were put on in the gym. They were fantastic but.. it’s time to bring the Orono School system up to date. Unfortunately the cost is high, and taxes are going to go up — A LOT. They say that almost $300 for a house valued at $174,000. I think there are few houses valued at that price. And can the owners afford $300 a year increase? We are already paying a lot of taxes. Up 2 mills is a big tax increase. I hope there are a lot of parents with kids moving in to town who can afford to buy homes with high taxes so their kids can go to a state of the art upgraded school. And too bad that a few years ago the town of Orono refused to consider a consolidated high school with Old Town. That would have broken a lot of stereotypes… just sayin’.”
“Not sure about another sub place but Middle Eastern food will be a great addition to the area. I’m not sure I like the location, however. Downtown is better. Portland Pie Co menu looks very good. I like the wine list, and I hope they have a full bar!”
—Bill_Stuart
More articles from the BDN
Lindsay Putnam
Lindsay Putnam is a senior editor for sports and features at the Bangor Daily News. Lindsay previously worked as an editor and reporter at the New York Post. She's a York Beach native and Colby College...
More by Lindsay Putnam
‘I hope they have a full bar’: The best comments this week on the BDN
Share this:
To celebrate the recent launch of our new commenting platform, Talk (you can read more about it here), we want to highlight some of the best comments on our website this past week. Posts have been edited lightly for spelling, grammar and punctuation.
Bangor voters give up their say on school budgets
“I know there’s a percentage of the population who won’t vote and that percentage increases in off year, off month elections. Nevertheless, there’s obviously something terribly wrong when 3 percent show up at the polls. It’s an embarrassment; Ben Sprague shouldn’t be boasting that it’s a vote of confidence.”
—MDI1968
7 Maine Democrats flip, giving new life to bid to link Electoral College to popular vote
“A nation’s government should be determined by the popular majority, good, bad or otherwise. We currently see a vocal anti-abortion minority pulling out all stops to impose its perspective on a clear national majority. Majority rule is the basic foundation of any democracy, including our own democratic Federal Republic. The majority should prevail and tinkering with that basic concept leads to all sorts of unintended consequences.”
—pizanos
“I think it should be left alone. This is simply a knee-jerk response to Trump’s win, just like RCV was a knee-jerk response to LePage’s win. Democrats have their own way of gaming the system.”
—Mehmet99
700-year-old canoe found in mud a reminder of Maine’s rich Native American heritage
“I wonder what the original diameter of the birch log was and overall original dimensions and how it was cut to length and also about its likely stability (less than my Mad River Explorer, I’d bet, or Butch Phillips’ beautiful bark canoe). I imagine it demanded a kneeling position — any interior indication of that?”
—akarobertkilpatrick
Portland creates emergency shelter for influx of asylum seekers
“Thanks for posting how to donate — I just sent a small donation — what I could afford. The whole state should be chipping in to help Portland do this.”
—MacIntyre
“This long-time City of Portland property tax owner is very angry about the news that the Expo is going to be opened to accommodate all of the asylum seekers that are flocking to our City. I hope it is safe for the thousands of people who walk by the Expo whenever the Sea Dogs play a home game at neighboring Hadlock. Unless something has changed recently, my understanding is that the visiting team uses the locker rooms in the Expo. It is not economically sustainable to have this many new individuals utilizing Portland’s already over burdened social welfare system. The asylum seekers will need to be fed, clothed, provided with medical care, interpreters, and come fall, children educated.”
—Lynne
Ferry service between Bar Harbor and Nova Scotia will be delayed
“Wow! This ferry just can’t seem to get it right. I feel sorry for Nova Scotia, which really needs this to work .
—Burning666
“It makes no sense to vilify Bay Ferries for delays caused on this side of the border. They’ve not been treated well in Maine and I would not have been at all surprised if they had completely abandoned business here in the state after Portland and the Portland Pilots Association chased them off.”
—Youngs78
Orono approves $16.8M borrowing package to upgrade school buildings
“The schools have needed repairs and upgrades for years. It was a travesty that the stage at the Middle School was in the cafeteria! High School plays were put on in the gym. They were fantastic but.. it’s time to bring the Orono School system up to date. Unfortunately the cost is high, and taxes are going to go up — A LOT. They say that almost $300 for a house valued at $174,000. I think there are few houses valued at that price. And can the owners afford $300 a year increase? We are already paying a lot of taxes. Up 2 mills is a big tax increase. I hope there are a lot of parents with kids moving in to town who can afford to buy homes with high taxes so their kids can go to a state of the art upgraded school. And too bad that a few years ago the town of Orono refused to consider a consolidated high school with Old Town. That would have broken a lot of stereotypes… just sayin’.”
—BennochRoad
Pizza and kebabs among the specialties at these new Bangor-area restaurants
“Not sure about another sub place but Middle Eastern food will be a great addition to the area. I’m not sure I like the location, however. Downtown is better. Portland Pie Co menu looks very good. I like the wine list, and I hope they have a full bar!”
—Bill_Stuart
More articles from the BDN
Lindsay Putnam
Lindsay Putnam is a senior editor for sports and features at the Bangor Daily News. Lindsay previously worked as an editor and reporter at the New York Post. She's a York Beach native and Colby College... More by Lindsay Putnam